England captain David Beckham played down the referee fear before their World Cup quarter-final match with Portugal on Saturday.

"In the match against Portugal, there are always things that happen in games, It's always going to be fiery and it is up to us as players to keep our discipline, " Beckham said.

Beckham played down that Argentina referee Horacio Elizondo would employ a strict approach to avert the kind of play-acting and fouls that marred Portugal's win over Holland.

"Sometimes it is difficult because you get frustrated and things happen, but you have to stay disciplined," Beckham added.

Elizondo has sent Beckham off in his career, in the World Club Championship game against Necaxa in 2000, while he has issued 16 yellow cards and one red in his three World Cup games so far.

Beckham also revealed he was delighted to answer his critics with the winner against Ecuador, a spectacular free-kick.

He said, "It was one of my most special goals.It is always nice when you have had a certain amount of criticism, to score a goal that puts your country through to the quarter-finals. "

Source: Xinhua